How to involve the business traveler in compliance with company policies

Posted On April 15, 2020May 8, 2020

Posted By CharlesBall

A study by the consultant CWT Solutions Group indicates that it could save up to 15% in business trips if the people involved adhere to the policies approved by the company . Another report published by Amadeus raises the potential savings to 23% and points out that the time dedicated to its management would also be significantly reduced . And as we all know, time is money.

How then to make the previously designed policies are fulfilled? CWT Solutions group has designed a system divided into 4 phases or stages to encourage compliance by business travelers :

1. Analysis:

As in any procedure, the first step is to analyze the current situation. It is essential to detect where business travelers can be saved and divide into categories or segments to detect patterns of behavior and discover incidents, if any.

2. Education:

Travelers can be made aware by creating point cards that contain terms of use and familiar language.

3. Commitment:

Through the point cards you can obtain personalized reports on their use and the behavior of executives in their business trips. Once the trip is over and with the report in hand, the responsible person can hold a meeting with the business traveler and review how the reservations have been made, etc. In this way, weak points can be corrected and the responsible behaviors valued.

4. Competition:

The creation of programs based on game techniques adds motivation to business travelers and generates positive attitudes. This way it will be easier to comply with the policies and eliminate resistance.

In addition to making business travelers follow established procedures, according to Amadeus officials, travel managers can work in other aspects to reduce costs. For example, negotiation with large numbers of suppliers and in large volumes can be very beneficial. Although the use of self-reservation tools is increasingly widespread, it is necessary to encourage early reservations to eliminate the application of high rates, as well as the use of corporate cards.

Finally, data unification and reporting is essential for monitoring and conclusions.

Recommendations when applying corporate travel security policies

Some recommendations to correctly implement travel safety policies are the following:

Assign responsible for risk management

Risk management in corporate travel involves several actors such as Travel Management, Security, Human Resources, Legal Department and Medical Services. Sometimes it may be advisable to outsource the processes to a specialized company as it will have the necessary expertise.

Determine the types of risk

It is convenient to create a matrix with the potential risks that can affect your company.

Analyze exposure to these risks

It is necessary to carry out an analysis at a tactical and strategic level to check if the company can respond to the risks detected.

Reduce risks and know how to manage them

When risks are identified, it is easier to reduce them and know how to act before them. The combination of travelers’ awareness, the use of appropriate tools and analysis is essential.

Communication

Having a Travel Manager or Travel Risk Manager is not enough. It is necessary to communicate to the business travelers the risks and their responsibilities.

Audit

Some techniques and methods of monitoring risk management in business trips are as follows:

The creation of a multidisciplinary risk management group.

Check and apply the best techniques applied by other companies in the sector.

Request the opinion of experts or travelers with experience in the destination.

Collect feedback on risks from business travelers in a manual.

Review policies and procedures when an incident occurs.

Ensure the highest compliance with security policies.

Finally, risk management in business trips must be integrated into the organization’s processes.